♘ I hope the day will be a lighter highway

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[on one end of a swing set on the Plane, his hands gripping the chains so tight, his knuckles have turned white, sits Kaoru. he's in the suit he arrived in for his match against Remus, the trousers all one piece again like the shards of broken porcelain never cut the expensive material. the tea cup the Twins gave him lies empty on the ground nearby.

besides the lingering sensation of a drugged fog in his mind, he doesn't seem any different. everything is still in place--he still feels like himself--but he wears a worried, frightened expression. he doesn't know how long he's been gone and worse still...he doesn't want to see what his blood looks like now.

his mind goes to Hikaru and he suddenly lets out a mournful little groan, his grip tightening on the chains as he slumps forward, his body wanting to curl in on itself. of all people, he doesn't want Hikaru to know what he did, even if he did it to protect the Hosts and Renge, because...no, he can't stand thinking about that possibility.]

Comments

[hostclubmommy.livejournal.com]

[Calmly, from right behind the swingset,]

Kaoru.

[Here is real danger: a voice that reveals nothing and a face that lets no emotions show.]

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[that one word alone is enough to make him jump clean out of the swing and whirl around]

Ah! Kyouya-sempai! Uhh...[he puts on a smile, chuckling] Sorry, I didn't hear you. Were you there long?

[silenteden.livejournal.com]

[Kuhn approaches, obviously concerned, and takes a seat in the swing next to Kaoru.]

Hey man... what's up?

[hostclubmommy.livejournal.com]

I was there the whole time.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[looks over at him in surprise then smiles] Oh, it's nothing, Kuhn. That deathmatch business had me scared, but...it's all over with, right?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[gulps but pretends he doesn't get what Kyouya means] Ohhh? I've been here for some time. You could've sat down next to me, you know.

[grand-gaia.livejournal.com]

[Isaac sees him and wanders over, taking the swing next to him, concerned. There is a small chick perched on his shoulder with gold down and a few brightly coloured feathers starting to grow in.]

Hey...

[oliverplus]

Kaoru? [concerned, Oliver comes over to sit on the swing next to him]

[hostclubmommy.livejournal.com]

I requested that those of us able to access the Plane remain here until you returned. We thought it would be easier than attempting to cover up your absence. It could have been done with most of the others, but I could think of nothing that would explain why you would abandon Hikaru.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[straightens in his seat, putting a smile on his face] Ah, hello Isaac. Who's your friend?

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

Hmm? [he sits up, smiling, but his hands are still gripping the chains tight] Hey Oliver. It's been a while, hasn't it?

[seriousmarauder]

[Sirius watches from a distance for a moment, trying to think of something comforting to say, before simply shifting into Padfoot, and wandering over to Kaoru, placing his head in the boy's lap gently]

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

Then they... [his smile slips as he listens, but he doesn't tear his eyes away from Kyouya] I--I'd never...[clenches his hands] I'd never abandon Hikaru.

[hostclubmommy.livejournal.com]

[Kyouya doesn't even bother to reply to that. The evidence says otherwise.] When you're ready, I'll contact the others and we can go home.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[he removes a hand from the chains and begins to pet Sirius, a sad smile gracing his face] That's a good sign... I was afraid animals wouldn't want to come near me any more.

[tilts his head] Hmm, no collar or name tag. I wonder who you belong to.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

I--no. Not yet.

[quietly] Kyouya-sempai, how is everyone? [that's easier to start with than what he really wants to ask]

[seriousmarauder]

[he simply nuzzles him, not wanting to ruin the moment by explaining. Besides, the petting is comforting to him, too.]

[hostclubmommy.livejournal.com]

[But it's the wrong question to ask Kyouya, who measures his friends' moods in profits and losses.] They're as you would expect.

[oliverplus]

Yeah. How've you been? [gives him a cheerful smile in greeting, though he wonders what sort of feelings he might get out of the eye contact]

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[darn it, he can feel his resolve slipping] Will the others want to, you think? I don't look any different or anything. You can't even tell my blood is different now...

[seriousmarauder]

[Padfoot licks his fingers in a reassuring gesture]

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[he frowns, wrapping his arms around himself. the gesture doesn't help, though] We've never had to deal with anything like this, not in our reality. People don't hold matches for sport or...or give them no choice!

[his eyes widen] No one else has been in one, have they?

[hostclubmommy.livejournal.com]

Of us? No. They were ended shortly after you killed yourself.

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[glances at him] I'm all right. [his smile only belies how scared he is. Scared of rejection and what he might've done to the Host Club, even though he sacrificed himself so no one else from his world would be called to fight.]

[maturelildevil.livejournal.com]

[softly] Thank you. [slips off the swing and hugs Sirius]